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Quebec's health minister has requested that the Montreal Health and Social Services Agency make recommendations on the future of the Lachine Hospital.

Last December, Health Minister Réjean Hébert said he was considering transferring the hospital's control from the McGill University Health Centre to the local health and social services network in Lachine.

The agency will have to file its recommendations to Hébert in May.

Hospital administrators opposed the decision and have since created a committee to fight the minister's plans.

Jacques Filion, the chairman of the board of the Lachine Hospital Foundation, said the transfer is not needed.

"When it's not broken, why try to fix it?" he said.

Local Liberal MNA, François Ouimet, agrees with Filion and said the health minister's plan would be disastrous for the community.

"He wants to bring us back to a situation that was a nightmare for the hospital," he said. "We are now into the promised land where there is development, modernization and investments.

The hospital committee said it would consider taking legal action against the government if the province forces the change.

Some community members are also circulating a petition against the looming transfer.